More Important
by syriala
Summary: Tony is not a stranger to overworking one self. But he hadn't counted on seeing it happen with T'Challa and he really wanted to do something about it.


T'Challa had been busy ever since Tony had come to Wakanda to visit his husband.

Tony had hoped for some free time, a few days of holiday maybe, but instead T'Challa was always in meetings and doing kingly stuff, on top of fulfilling his duty as Black Panther.

There wasn't much time for Tony and he wasn't used to that.

Usually he was the one with the busy schedule, who had to cancel plans or stood his date up but now he found himself on the other end of that.

And he wasn't mad, he really wasn't, but he was worried.

T'Challa barely even relaxed anymore and there was a constant frown on his face; Tony was a bit afraid that it was already there to stay and that shouldn't be.

He had tried to delegate the work, the Dora Milaje on his side, but it barely worked. Either T'Challa took charge of everything or something else came up which made Tony glad to have cleared a certain time slot in the first place, because it meant T'Challa didn't have to make the decision which was more important.

To T'Challa everything was important and having to choose which meeting to attend stressed him more than just going to both.

Today was quite the busy day as well; Tony had woken up to an empty bed and since then he had only seen T'Challa in passing.

But that was enough to tell Tony that his husband had a headache; the frown was deepened and his shoulders were tense. And the way he kept rubbing his temple was only the last straw.

Tony was sitting on the couch, just waiting for T'Challa to come in and when he finally did, Tony wanted to wrap him up in a blanket and put him to bed.

"Join me," he called out and stretched his hand towards T'Challa.

"I can't," T'Challa sighed and rubbed his head again. "There are still meetings and then more meetings and I am sure there will be one more meeting after that," he weakly joked, but his voice was strained and tired.

"Let someone else do them," Tony said with a shrug and T'Challa frowned at him now.

"I can't, you know that," he told him and Tony was quick to agree.

He hadn't wanted to add to the frown on T'Challa's face.

"But I am sure you can spare a few minutes to sit with your husband. I can give you a head massage; maybe it'll help."

"I have no time," T'Challa said again, a bit more decided now and Tony sighed.

"Okay, fine. But if you want cuddles and a massage you know where to find me," he told T'Challa before he went back to the tablet in front of him.

"It's not a matter of want, Tony," T'Challa said a bit softer but he still wasn't coming closer. "It's a matter of time. I don't have the time. These people depend on me."

"I know," Tony said easily, not mentioning that they could do without him for an afternoon.

He didn't want to upset his husband further, make him choose between his kingdom and him, and so he stayed quiet.

"I will still stay here," Tony called after him when T'Challa left. "Just in case."

Tony went back to his reading, not watching the retreating back of his husband, but he still couldn't help the worried twinge in his gut.

T'Challa was seriously overworked as it was and it didn't seem to find an end. Now he couldn't even make time for Tony anymore and Tony feared that he wouldn't be able to keep it up for much longer.

Before Tony could come up with a new plan, one that would give T'Challa at least a few hours of rest, T'Challa came back into the living-room.

"Already done?" Tony asked surprised and T'Challa shook his head.

"No. But I told them to have the meeting without me. There are more important things," he said as he gently pulled the tablet out of Tony's hand.

T'Challa plopped down in Tony's lap, arms around his middle and face buried in his neck. Tony automatically raised a hand to smooth up and down T'Challa's back and with the other he gently massaged T'Challa's neck.

"This is not about me," Tony said, because he didn't want T'Challa to skip on meetings for him, but T'Challa made a small noise.

"No, it's about me spending time with my husband; I have clearly been missing out on that one."

Tony chuckled and cupped the back of T'Challa's head.

"Want to go to the bedroom so I can give you a proper massage?" Tony asked but T'Challa didn't move.

"No, I'm good where I am," he drowsily said and snuggled closer.

Tony huffed at that, but he didn't make a move to get T'Challa to stand up. If he was comfortable where he was then they would stay like this.

He kept up the soothing strokes of his hand and the gentle kneading of his hand on T'Challa's neck and it wasn't long before his breath slowed down.

Tony pressed a kiss to T'Challa's shoulder before he nuzzled his cheek and peppered it with kisses as well.

"Sleep now, husband," he fondly said and punctuated his words with kisses to T'Challa's temple.

"Mhm," T'Challa hummed in agreement. "Love you," he breathed and then his breath evened out almost instantly.

"Love you too," Tony told a sleeping T'Challa and then closed his own eyes. An impromptu snuggle session with his husband was still the best way to spend an afternoon.


End file.
